The Expanded Otomeverse
Fics (chronologically)
Terminology
The HiME (Highly-Advanced Materialising Equipment), the central “subjects” of Sunrise’s Mai franchise, are divided into three types.
- Type 0 : “Natural” HiME, with the HiME gene infused by the HiME Star itself. Each Carnival involved 12 of them.
- Type 1 : Born with HiME abilities, but the gene is infused by genetic engineering.
- Type 2 : Artificial HiME. No gene, its effect is instead simulated by nanomachines. The Otome (乙HiME) are actually considered an “imperfect” implementation of this type because of their vulnerability to male DNA.
Other terms:
- Precursors/Kokuyouseki
- The Obsidian Lord’s species. They were originally creatures of flesh but evolved (or engineered themselves) into “pure minds”, using humans and certain inanimate objects as hosts. “Kokuyouseki” (“obsidian stones”) is the name the Doctor gives them, while “Precursors” is what Searrs referred to them as, for lack of a better name.
- Bifröst
- An interplanetary network (think Stargate ) created by Searrs based on a leftover Precursor terminal, linking Earth with the five colony worlds until Earl was separated from the rest. Transport between different terminals on the same planet is also possible. Each terminal looks like a replica of the Fuka Academy building, for reasons yet to be revealed.
- SELF
- A “person template” that enables “doppelgangers” as seen between Mai-HiME and Mai-Otome. How exactly is to be revealed, as well as what the acronym actually stands for.Black ValleyThe location of the original end point linking Earl to Earth, discovered by Searrs in 2006. Also the former location of a Searrs research facility. Has certain ties to the Aswad.
- Fuka Zwei
- A second Searrs facility, which was located under the Memorial Plaza in Windbloom. The Harmonium is stored here.
- Niflheim
- A third Searrs facility in Artai’s Far North.
- Alyssa’s Retreat
- A concealed green paradise in the middle of the Kainashi desert, with its own Bifröst terminal. This is actually where Mai and Mikoto live in Mai-Otome and Zwei; why this place is unfittingly called the Black Valley, and not the original Black Valley, is to be revealed.
- Hexagon
- The six-cornered building that is the residence of the Aries government.
- Sandcleavers
- Vehicles transporting people through the desert around Windbloom, as seen in the TV series.
Original characters
- Jonathan Searrs
- Chairman of the Searrs Foundation until 2305, direct descendant of Alyssa.
- Naomi Searrs
- Jonathan’s daughter and Chairman in 2305–2331. She continued to formally hold the title afterwards, but there was no longer any Foundation to speak of.
- Ryoko Ragna (b. 2306)
- An unsuspecting housewife who was teleported into the Searrs HQ after an injection of nanomachines carried over by an unknown party—which may not been a complete accident. Briefly held the Pure White Diamond before destroying her nanomachines via sex with her husband Fenton Venice, thus enlightening Searrs about the vulnerability. As of “FC-I”, she is the Administrator of the Windbloom War Relief Coordination.
- Wataru Steingott (b. 2306)
- Former advisor to Vice-President (later President) Fumi Himeno, and former agent of an anti-Searrs conspiracy known as the Wheel. Injected Fumi with nanomachines with the hope of knocking her unconscious, but to his surprise, the nanomachines accepted her immediately. Now serves as Ryoko’s “Chief Domestic Something-or-Other”. He is actually (but unknown to himself) a SELF image of the former District One agent Wataru Ishigami, MIP of HiME Yukariko Sanada.
- Adam Summers
- Former President of Aries and Naomi’s childhood friend. Promoted Fumi to Vice-President shortly before his assassination by the Wheel.
- Mayo Padayani, Shion Tamplier
- Two of the Searrs scientists and Otome. Died in the destruction of the Black Valley facility, but managed to implant themselves into vacant slots of the SELF system formerly occupied by Fumi and Wataru. Their SELF images were actualized in the 27th century as Raquel Mayol and Shion Margaret.
- Sylvia Permando
- Former Searrs scientist and Otome, former holder of the Natural Balance Emerald (renamed Neptune Emerald after its Zwei-type upgrade). Defected to the Wheel, intentionally destroying her nanomachines via blood infusion.
Chronology
- Unknown :
- 1705 : The previous HiME Carnival. Mashiro is Kagutsuchi’s master and becomes the Crystal Princess.
- 2005 : Mai-HiME . The last HiME Carnival. The HiME Star is destroyed.
- 2006 : First Step . Searrs take over the Fuka Academy grounds, discover a shard of the HiME Star and open a portal to Earl.
- 2305 : Mai-HiME Ryou (chapter 1). The Searrs HQ on Earth is attacked by the combined forces of Earth nations. Jonathan Searrs is killed. Miyu is forced to severe the link between Earth and Earl, just before the Administar goes online.
- 2331 : Mai-HiME Ryou (chapters 2–4). Searrs reverse-engineer artificial HiME (Otome) using Mikoto as a prototype. Ryoko and Fumi forge a contract. The Harmonium is activated for the first time, effectively destroying Searrs.
- 2332 : Himeno FC-I . Ongoing.
- 27th century (dating deliberately left fuzzy for now):
- MOS : Mai-Otome 0~S.ifr~.
- MO : Mai-Otome. A war between Windbloom and Artai leads to the second activation of the Harmonium.
- MO+1 : Mai-Otome Zwei. Yuna attacks Earl and is destroyed by the Otome.
- MO+2 : The Forgotten Colony/The Maiden’s Flight . The Doctor and Martha appear on Earl, just as the Precursors attack. They leave after the Doctor creates a replica of the unaugmented HiME Star for them, but Garderobe is destroyed and the Otome are depowered for one year.
- MO+32 : “Unnamed Future Thing”
Notes:
- The “A.R.” dating seen on gravestones in Otome and S.ifr is AD-2330. So, for example, A.R. 305, the date of Elena Fran’s death, is AD 2635. I haven’t yet decided what the R stands for, but I have decided why the 2331 was significant enough to start a new dating system.
- In TFC/TMF , the Doctor says that the year is 2670. This should be interpreted as “give or take two decades”; with the TARDIS as faulty as it is, that’s by no means precise.